Farmingdale State College, in one of the biggest grants of its kind in New York State, has been awarded $270,000 for a program that will help low-income and homeless students from Long Island and New York City attend college.
The grant, which was announced by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s office, comes through the College Access Challenge Grant Program via the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation. The money will be used for “intensive college preparation, enrollment and persistence counseling, coaching, and direction on the transition to college beginning in middle school through the end of the freshman year of college,” according to the Governor.
“With our increasing enrollment – a 67 percent increase in total enrollment since 2000 – this funding will help Farmingdale increase the numbers of low-income at-risk students we are assisting, and to make sure they are prepared for a rigorous college curriculum and a new experience, all with the objective of ensuring their success,” said Hubert Keen, president of Farmingdale State College.
The grant will allow Farmingdale to support about 300 students – middle schoolers and college freshmen - with college courses for high school students; enrollment counseling; Saturday programs; STEM field trips; summer campus residency, and more. An intensive primer for parents of college-bound students will also be offered.
Said Professor Ben Whitfield, professor of English and director of the program, “At Farmingdale our programs and services are based upon current research and experience, as well as certain tried and true best practices. Our HESC grant allows Farmingdale to expand our work with homeless students from NYC and students from the poorest school districts on Long Island, NY so they are able to complete demanding courses before graduating from high school.”
